Paradise
by nsane1
Summary: (rating changed) Can Beka handle a relationship with Dylan?...the sequel to Salvation!
1. Words in the Dark

Paradise  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you might see on Andromeda the show. But I own the story!  
  
Author's Note: The long awaited sequel to Salvation! Yes, this time, I'm making up my own quotes. Thank you to all my reviewers, especially Ashley (because you said that it was too fast). Expect this story to include Harper! And probably everyone else, too!  
  
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"You cannot lose paradise if it was never gained."  
  
-Jen Graham  
  
Chapter One: Words in the Dark  
  
"Penny for your thoughts," Dylan asked Beka as he wrapped his arms around her warm body, on the bed next to him.  
  
"C'mon, they're worth more than that!" she teased. He didn't have to see her face to know that she was grinning.  
  
"All right, an upgrade on the Maru, but they'd better be damn good thoughts," he said, laughing.  
  
"Done!" she agreed, laughing, but she sobered first. "Dylan...I don't know if you really want to hear my thoughts."  
  
He pulled her closer to him and just held her for awhile. Eventually, though, he asked, "I'd like to know what you're thinking. Especially if it concerns us."  
  
He felt her stiffen and knew he had touched on a sore point. "Dylan...you're right. As usual. It's us I'm worried about. I mean, for one thing, I'm one of your officers! Weren't relationships between commanding officers and their...well, their suboordinates-" she said this with such distaste that he alsmost laughed- " illegal? Or at least a court-martial offense?"  
  
"Beka, that was in the days when there was a Commonwealth to court-martial people," he told her.  
  
"But what happens when we restore the Commonwealth?"  
  
"Don't worry about it," he said, stroking her hair calmingly. She did relax a little. "This is a different situation. Normally, you're right, a High Guard commanding officer isn't supposed to become friendly with his crew at all. But that's when there's a four-year mission and a crew of thousands. With you-all five of you-how could I not get close to you? We're a family, not a crew. And you, well, you're obviously a bit more than family." He started to kiss her then, but, although she was responsive, he could tell that her heart wasn't in it. Reluctantly pulling away, he asked, "Beka, what else is wrong?"  
  
She sighed and rolled away from him and onto her back. For awhile, she just lay there and looked at the ceiling, and Dylan let her. Finally, she quietly said, "Dylan, I'm not sure this is going to work out."  
  
"Why not?" he asked, as gently as he could.  
  
"Well...Dylan, this all happened too fast," she said rapidly.  
  
"Too fast?"  
  
"All of a sudden, here I am, in your quarters, naked and in bed with you. There was nothing gradual about it. I mean, sure, I...I didn't want you to die during the Magog attack, but...we went from being friends to being lovers in one fell swoop," she said, the frustration evident in her voice.  
  
One word she said made Dylan feel insulted, and he ended up ignoring everything else. "Lovers? Is that all we are?"  
  
"No, we're not just lovers, but...I don't know what we are. I think...I'm pretty sure I love you. I do love you. But...I don't know. Something just feels...wrong."  
  
"You think this relationship is *wrong*?"  
  
"Dylan, please!"  
  
The note of desperation in her voice made him calm down, and he silently waited for her to continue.  
  
"Dylan, it's not that...it's not that I don't love you, or that I don't want to be with you, because I do. But I'm used to relationships that aren't realy relationships. You know, have sex with some guy to distract him, stuff like that. Like with Leydon."  
  
"You-"  
  
"Stop, Dylan, that was in the past." She paused for a long time and again, he allowed Beka her silence. "What I'm saying...what I'm saying is that I need more time."  
  
He sighed and started to pull her towards him. "And I'll give you time, I promise, as much time as-"  
  
She pulled away, effectively cutting him off. "I need time by myself." She searched for her clothes, started to get dressed. If her face hadn't looked so troubled in the dim light, Dylan might have begged her to stay.  
  
As it was, he simply said, "I'm here when you're ready."  
  
"I know," she said quietly, and slipped out of the room.  
  
TBC... 


	2. After the Honeymoon's Over

Author's Note: This was writted before Be All My Sins Remembered, so the Bobby parts may be off. And these are really two separate chapters stuck together because they're so short. And also because I'm too lazy to make up two quotes and two chapter titles. So please R&R!  
  
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If there is such a thing as a panacea, I haven't found it yet.  
  
-Jen Graham  
  
Chapter Two: After the Honeymoon's Over  
  
"And what are you doing up so late, mister?"  
  
Harper turned around to see none other than Beka Valentine standing in the doorway, hands on hips. "Aw, don't go all parental on me, Boss."  
  
"You should sleep more," Beka told him, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting down across from him.  
  
"Hey, practice what you preach, Bek," he said, grinning. "With all that coffee, you'll be hyped up and then you'll never get to sleep."  
  
"Maybe I don't want to sleep," she shot back. "Stop trying to tell me what to do."  
  
Harper frowned at her. "Hey, I was just kidding! What's up, boss? Anything wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong, everything's just perfect," she muttered into her coffee.  
  
"Since nothing has ever been perfect in our lives, that must mean something's up," he pointed out. He wondered what was up with her. She had seemed so happy since Rafe had gotten better. A few times, he would have sworn that she was glowing.  
  
"Seamus..." That meant it was something serious. "Seamus, I've known you forever, right?"  
  
Where was she going with this? "Right. For a long time, at least."  
  
"You remember Bobby?"  
  
"Are you kidding? He's not easy to forget, Beka."  
  
"Why did I stay with him for such a long time? I mean, he was a real piece of work, but I stayed with him forever. I even took him back after he kept leaving me," she said. Harper could hear the desperation in her voice.  
  
"I don't know, Boss," he told her, not sure what she wanted him to say.  
  
"And when I've finally found a guy, the perfect, nicest, sweetest guy, I can't stay with him for more than a week!" she exclaimed, and then the look on her face a moment after told him she had gone a lot farther than she wanted to.  
  
"The perfect guy? According to you, the perfect guy doesn't exist," Harper joked, hoping to make her feel a little more comfortable. "So who is this perfect guy, anyway?"  
  
That was obviously the wrong question, because she got up and walked to the window to stare at the stars. Even though he was bursting to say something, he let her stand there for a few more minutes before he stood up and walked over to stand next to her.  
  
"Beka...like you said, we've known each other forever. If you want to talk about it, I'll listen. Whoever the guy is." And Harper had a pretty short list in mind, unless Beka had met someone on the Drift when she had run away.  
  
She turned and smiled wryly at him. "Thanks, Seamus."  
  
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"Beka?"  
  
If she was surprised by Dylan's appearance on the deathly quiet Command, she didn't show it outwardly, although Rommie noticed that her pulse rate jumped from 70 beats per minute to 100 beats per minute. Beka didn't even acknowledge the Captain's presence, so Rommie decided to help her out.  
  
"Captain on deck!"  
  
"Yippee," Beka replied dryly, but Rommie noticed her face was marginally redder than it had been a moment before.  
  
"Beka, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be gone for a few days," Dylan told the First Officer.  
  
"That's nice. Where are you going?"  
  
"To peace talks on Albaraz."  
  
At that, Rommie frowned. Dylan knew he was going into a war zone, and he wasn't even taking her avatar body with him for protection. But he had told her that he was going and that there would be no further argument.  
  
"Have fun. Be careful," Beka said in a carefully controlled voice, but when Rommie turned her attention back to Rebecca Valentine's vitals, she found that the woman's pulse had gone up again.  
  
"Beka..." the Captain brushed a few strands of blonde hair away from Beka's face. "I want to give you the time you need. Maybe if I leave for awhile, you can work things out."  
  
What did he mean by that? Until recently, Dylan and Beka had been spending quite a lot of time in privacy mode, for reasons unknown. Rommie wondered if Dylan's odd comment had something to do with all of their time alone. But Beka obviously understood the comment, for she answered,  
  
"Thanks, Dylan. And I really will try, I promise."  
  
"All right," he said softly. Suddenly, he grinned. "And while I'm gone, don't break my ship."  
  
"Of course not, sir!" Beka exclaimed, laughing and giving him a mock-salute. "Off with you."  
  
Rommie monitored the launching of the slip-fighter. 'Safe journey, Dylan,' she thought to herself.  
  
A few days later, they heard the news.  
  
The slipfighter carrying High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendent to the peace talks on Albaraz exploded upon reentry into the atmosphere.  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
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The cliff-hanger ending is Cassie's fault, and therefore, it's dedicated to her *grins* blame her.  
  
Author's Note, Part 2: All right, yes, it may be a little early to kill off Dylan. But remember, that was originally the third chapter. And...well, he may not stay dead. I just really hate Dylan right now. The TV Dylan, not my fanfic Dylan (because fanfic Dylan is treating Beka rather well). So there's the explanation. If you really hate Dylan dying, I'll revamp this chapter. But you may want to see where I'm going, first. 


	3. Lazarus Risen

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Believe me, you'd know if I did.  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Author's note: Yeah, I know, Dylan didn't stay dead long. But since nobody seemed to like him dead, he's back. And besides, I didn't hate him quite so much this ep. But anyway, PLEASE read and review! Or I may give this up. God knows I'm having a hard enough time writing this as it is.  
  
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The worst thing in the world isn't finding out that someone you love is dead. It's finding out that they're still alive.  
  
-Jen Graham  
  
Chapter Three: Lazarus Risen  
  
Dylan Hunt, recently dead, walked onto the Command Deck of the Andromeda Ascendent. "Hi."  
  
Whatever response he had expected, it didn't include being ignored by the two blondes.  
  
"I am glad you're back, Captain Hunt. This crew has been pathetic following your death," Tyr said, striding past him and out of Command.  
  
"Hm. Pathetic," he said. "Hello, Beka, Harper."  
  
They still didn't acknowledge his presence, although Harper looked quickly at Beka and then back down at him.  
  
"I didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't this," Dylan told them, raising an eyebrow. Still no response. He sighed. "When either of you are ready to talk, I'll be in my office."  
  
He walked there, hoping to be called back the entire time. He would even have turned back to greet Harper. He had missed all of them so much; his every thought while waiting for rescue had been of the Andromeda's crew, and especially one of them in particular.  
  
"Dylan? You just missed your office." Did Rommie's voice seem a little colder? It must be his imagination.  
  
"Thank you, Rommie," he told her, walking into his office and sitting down with a sigh. "So Rommie, tell me. How did they take the news?"  
  
"That you were dead, or that you were alive?"  
  
"That I was dead. From what I've been told, they didn't know I was alive until a week after it was announced that my slip-fighter blew up. What happened in that week?" Dylan asked the hologram who had appeared before him.  
  
"I don't know if I should tell you that," she said, her voice definitely colder than it had been before.  
  
"Rommie, I need to know how the crew reacted to my supposed death. What if I had to fake my own death someday?" he pleaded with her.  
  
"Fine. Rebecca Valentine locked herself in the Maru after news of your death arrived. Two days later, she came out looking exhausted and threw herself into the effort to rebuild the Commonwealth. She did little else but research new planets, and only stopped to eat or sleep when forced. She had several meetings this week with government leaders. When she found out you were alive, she had a long conversation with Harper. Seamus Harper trashed the Machine Shop after news of your death. He worked on repair incessantly, only stopping when we found him passed out on the floor several days ago. He had a flu, and he still isn't fully recovered. Rev Bem prayed for your soul, and tried to comfort the rest of the crew, although they rejected his efforts. Tyr Anasazi spent many hours in workouts. Trance Gemini seemed the least affected, and went about her business like nothing had happened, but she seemed to be very sad," Rommie finished.  
  
Dylan tried to hide the look of shock on his face, but he didn't think it was working. "And...and you, Rommie?"  
  
"My emotions were confined to my humanoid avatar. She cried many times, then blocked off her emotions," Andromeda explained, emotionless.  
  
Dylan sat and stared at the wall.  
  
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"So how long are you going to keep this up, Beka?"  
  
Beka dragged herself out of her thoughts to turn and glare at him. "Keep what up, Seamus?"  
  
"This whole 'I'm not going to talk to Dylan because I haven't worked out my emotions' thing."  
  
"Who are you and what have you done to Seamus Harper?" Beka asked, glaring at him even more fiercely. They had talked about Dylan for a long time when they found out he was still alive, and she was beginning to regret ever confiding in Harper. Although she did admit she had needed someone to talk to, and who better than her best friend? He had been remarkably good about not making smart alek comments. Until now.  
  
"Beka, you have to go talk to him. And I'd really like to talk to him, too. I mean, he was dead for a week!" Harper exclaimed. "I missed the guy, and I know you did too."  
  
"Harper..." she started, then shook her head. "I can't talk to him, yet. I can't."  
  
"You'll have to talk to him someday."  
  
"I know."  
  
"And you can't keep putting it off."  
  
Damn, why did he have to be so infuriating?! "I won't! Now leave me the hell alone!"  
  
"Fine, Beka, but you really need to go talk to him."  
  
"Harper!" Beka shouted at him, then stormed off the Command Deck in the direction of the Maru. The worst part was that she knew he was right.  
  
To be continued... 


	4. The Love God

Disclaimer: I don't own Andromeda, Tribune does.  
  
Author's Note: As promised, the new chapter of Paradise! (see, Cassie?) I'll probably be alternating between Let It Be and Paradise, for now, until they're both finished...please read, enjoy, and review! Tell me what needs to be fixed!  
  
Chapter Four: The Love God  
  
"Dylan?"  
  
He looked up, hoping to see Beka...but it hadn't been her voice. He shook his head and said, "So, you've decided to come talk to me."  
  
"I'm glad you're alive," Harper told him.  
  
Dylan looked at him, surprised. "And you didn't want to tell me that before?" It was callous. It was hurtful. But Dylan was hurt as well, both by Harper and by Beka, and he couldn't help it.  
  
"I wanted to, boss bug, honestly I did, but Beka...well, I didn't want you to try to talk to her right then, so I figured if we were both quiet, maybe it would be better," Harper replied earnestly. "I really did miss you...when we found out you were gone..."  
  
Dylan's face softened. "Rommie told me...I'm so sorry that you thought I was dead."  
  
Harper shrugged. "That's in the past, Dylan. We've all gotten over it...except for Beka," he mumbled to himself, but Dylan caught it just the same.  
  
"Speaking of the good Captain Valentine, just where might she be?" he asked, and Harper predictably winced.  
  
"Well, Beka's hiding out in the-erp...never mind," Harper said, trying to cover up the "oops, I'm dead" expression on his face.  
  
"She's hiding out on the Maru. Hiding from me," Dylan said bleakly. "I should have stayed dead."  
  
"Oh, no, Boss Bug! We wouldn't have wanted that! I mean, someone missed her High Guard and handsome man while he was..." Harper coughed nervously.  
  
"She told you?"  
  
"Told me what?" Harper squeaked, edging back out of the room.  
  
Dylan stood up menacingly. "Told you about our relationship!" Dylan thundered.  
  
"Um...well, Dylan, she was really upset...she was in the Maru for days, and then she didn't eat or sleep, and then when we found out you were alive...she said she had to talk to someone, Dylan, and that someone was me, I didn't want her to go through that Maru-no sleeping-no eating thing again, so she talked to me, and Dylan, I think you're a great guy and you'd do good to her, but she's just not ready, so don't push it!" Harper said rapidly.  
  
"I'm not trying to push it, I'm just trying to talk to someone whom I haven't seen for a week and who thought I was dead! Dead, Harper! I can't apologize enough for the pain I must have put you all through, but especially Beka! Dammit, Harper, I need to talk to her!" Dylan exclaimed, starting out in a frustrated voice and ending on an impassioned plea.  
  
Harper placatingly held up his hands. "All right, Boss bug, I'll try to talk her into talking to you...or better yet...you just let the love god work, baby!" He grinned and ran out of the room, mumbling rapidly to himself.  
  
Dylan had a vague feeling that he should be worried, but he was willing to try anything for Beka.  
  
Anything...  
  
TBC (soon, because Cassie makes me!) 


	5. The British Butler Bot

Disclaimer: I don't own Andromeda, Tribune does!  
  
Author's Note: I don't know where my grammar got off to in this part, so sorry if anything's off! Oh, and the stuff between the asteriks is a flashback. Please R&R!  
  
  
  
Paradise  
  
Chapter Five: The British Butler Bot  
  
She wasn't sure whether she wanted to shoot herself, run screaming from the room, or cry and beg Dylan's forgiveness and tell him never to leave like that again, and Beka Valentine hated herself for it. As it was, she paced nervously in front of the Obs. Deck windown, pausing every once in a while to curse Harper in several different languages.  
  
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"Are you crazy? I told you, Seamus, I do not want to see him!" She had been so angry at him for even suggesting it.  
  
He had used that persistent, whiny, "I'm too small and cute for you to say no" voice. "C'mon, Bek, you have to see him! Just one dinner on Obs. Deck, that's it!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"I'll overhaul the Maru!"  
  
That had taken her by surprise. "Really."  
  
"Yeah! Pay for it myself!"  
  
This had been a little bit too suspicious for Beka. "Harper...why?"  
  
And for a moment, it wasn't Harper that Beka was talking to; it was someone older, and wiser. It was like Rev Bem trapped in the body of one freakin' genius. "Because, Beka, I want you to have something good. Dylan is good, he's good for you; he won't hurt you like Bobby did and you'll be happy. I want you to be happy."  
  
"Seamus..." was all Beka could say.  
  
"Please, Bek, I know how you feel about him and you're scared and everything and I know you don't know what you want with him, but don't let him get away, Beka. He loves you."  
  
"I know," Beka whispered.  
  
"Will you go? Please, Beka?"  
  
She had nodded, half-reluctant and half-eager.  
  
And then he was back to being Harper again, grinning his trademark ladies' man grin and saying, "You just trust in the Harper, baby, and be in Obs. Deck in two hours, dressed to kill!"  
  
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She was only dressed to mildly maim, in tight black pants and a high-necked sleeveless shirt, despite Trance's suggestion of at least a skirt. Beka kept pacing, not liking the table set for two in the middle of the room, or the soft candlelight, or the music playing that Harper apparently thought was romantic. And the table cloth was pink. Pink!  
  
"Harper, you really overdid yourself," Beka muttered.  
  
"I'd have to agree." She didn't have to look towards the door to know that it was Dylan. She turned anyway, raising an eyebrow when she saw his dress attire.  
  
"That looks pretty damn uncomfortable, Captian Terrific," she quipped.  
  
"Well, I see you chose comfort over style," he retorted.  
  
"Hey, do you know how tight these pants are?" she shot back as they both laughed. Back to being friends for the moment. She could handle that. It didn't squelch the desire to run over to him and touch him and make sure he was really alive, really there on Obs. Deck, but the need was dampened.  
  
He pulled out her chair for her like a real gentleman, and his hand rested gently on her bare shoulder as she sat down. She hate herself for tensing up and how quickly he took his hand away. He sat down across from her; poured them both wine. Neither of them looked at each other, and they spent an uncomfortable few minutes of silence.  
  
Until they broke it by laughing at the Maria 'bot dressed like a butler.  
  
"That has got to be Harper!" Beka gasped out between gales of laughter.  
  
"What can I get you, my good lady and gentleman?" the drone asked in a completely fake British accent.  
  
"I'm going to have to speak to him about this!" Dylan said, laughing harder.  
  
But it served to break the ice between them, or at least thin it, and they talked about safely comfortable topics throughout the elegant dinner.  
  
Then dinner was over, and dessert and coffee were over, and they were lead by the british butler bot to the vacant rec room, where they found popcorn and a movie. They sat on opposite ends of the couch, even though Beka knew Dylan would rather have them close together.  
  
She had to give him credit, though. He waited until half the movie was over before saying, "Beka, we need to talk."  
  
To Be Continued...(I promise!) 


	6. Sometimes, Love Isn't Enough

Disclaimer: Still don't own them. Unfortunately. But I do own most of the storyline, except the great idea Cassie gave me for it! 

Spoilers: Relatively major for _The Things We Cannot Change_

Author's Note: I had officially been ordered to drop this story, but my muse popped up last night around midnight and wrote this chapter, and now that it's written, I'm not sure if it's going to stop. So please, feed my muse and maybe my muse'll be willing to write another chapter!:D And for those of you reading Let It Be, that'll be written soon too! 

D. Lerious, Dylan didn't fake his own death. I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear, but he was stranded on a planet for a week. 

Oh, and a cautionary note: Give it a chance. It all has a purpose. 

**_Paradise_**

_Chapter Six: Sometimes, Love Isn't Enough_

"I think we should end our relationship." 

"You think we should...that we should...what?" Beka was taken by complete and utter surprise. When Dylan had said those annoying words, 'I think we should talk,' she would have guessed that he would try and talk to her about her feelings, about what she had felt when he was gone...But she had never expected this. Not from Dylan. 

"You don't want it, do you?" 

"I-Dylan, I'm not sure, you know that," Beka said, confused. 

"Well, I'm tired of waiting for you," he said, and she couldn't detect anything but sincerity in his voice. 

"But...what was the dinner?" she tried. 

He laughed, and Beka shuddered. "I wanted to give you one last chance, Beka. To see if maybe you still wanted to be with me. But..." He looked into her eyes. "It's time I don't have." 

"You said you'd give me as much time as I needed. You promise. You said you'd still be there," she whispered. 

"Beka, when I was crashed, stranded on that planet, I had nothing to do but think. And I realized that I'm getting older, Beka, and I need someone to carry on after I'm gone. I know you can, but who comes after you? After Harper? I need someone, Bek, and I can't wait for you," he told her. After a moment, where she could not think or breathe, he continued. "I know I never told you what happened when I was stranded near the black hole, out in space, I...dreamed I had a son...and a wife. I miss them, Beka. I want a family. And if you're too scared to have one, I need to look for someone else." 

"But...you love me...I love you..." 

"Sometimes love isn't enough, Rebecca." He was so cool. So calm. Like he didn't know he was breaking her heart. 

"Dylan, I-I-please stay..." she begged at last. 

He smiled, whether cruelly or sadly, Beka couldn't tell. "I gave you a chance, Beka." 

He left for the second time, only this time was worse. Yes, Dylan Hunt was like every other man. 

Beka lay limply down on the couch and started crying, and once again, Dylan wasn't there to hold her. 

*************************************************************** 

That was where Harper found her the next morning, curled up on the couch staring blankly at the wall. 

"Beka?" He waved a hand in front of her face, assuming she was tired. "Bek? Hey, how'd dinner go? What did you think of the bot, huh? Where's Dylan?" 

"He left," she whispered hoarsely. 

"Where'd he go?" Harper inquired without a clue. 

"He left me." 

The addition of that one little word made Harper realize what had happened. "Oh, no, Beka, he wouldn't do that! You misunderstood him or something, Bek, he never would have done that, he loves you too much!" 

"Sometimes, love isn't enough," Beka said dully. 

Stroking her hair because he didn't have anything else to do, he asked, "What happened?" 

"He said I was taking too long. He said dinner was my last chance. He said he needs someone who will carry on his line. He said love wasn't enough. And he left me," Beka said without any emotion, although tears slipped down her face. 

Harper stood up angrily. "Rommie, have Trance come down here and stay with Beka. And where's Dylan?" 

"On Command." 

"Good," Harper said, and marched to the room. "Dylan, what did you do to her?" 

"To who?" 

"Don't you dare ask to who! To Beka! She's over in the rec room, crying, because you left her last night!" Harper yelled furiously. "Crying! Beka doesn't cry!" 

"No need to shout, Mr. Harper," Dylan said all too calmly. "Now, as for Captain Valentine, it's her own fault." 

"Like hell it is! Dylan, you know Beka! You know how hard it is for her to trust people! Hell, it took her two years to trust me enough to stay on the Maru alone while we were docked. And she trusted you enough to love you, and enough that when she told you sheneeded time to straighten things out in her head, she knew that you would give it to her! And you promised you would, Dylan, she told me. And then she was getting things all worked out, but then you died, and then you came back to life and her whole world was upside down again, and now you go and tell her that she taking too much time to think about a relationship that's so abnormal for her too even think about, she even talked to me to try and work it out? I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing, but you aren't the DYlan Hunt I know," Harper finished, glaring at Dylan and daring him to respond. 

Dylan did respond. He started to clap. "Bravo, Harper. Predictably defending your beloved Rebecca. If only we could all have such a stalwart champion, like a faithful puppy." 

Harper looked at him with the same hurt confusion in his eyes that Beka had before. "Dylan, what's gotten into you?" 

"Nothing, Harper. As I told Beka, I had a lot of time to think on the planet. Some of my ideas have...changed, that's all." 

"You broke her heart, Dylan," Harper all but pleaded. 

"We all grow up sometime, Harper," Dylan said absently, poking at a few buttons, then turned to look at Harper. "Maybe I went about it in the wrong way...I just wanted to see if she had decided to be with me, to have children with me, perhaps, or even just to eventually work up to that. I never meant to hurt her." 

"Well, you did, and I was dead wrong about you," Harper said quietly into the following silence, then turned his back and walked stiffly out of Command. 

To Be Continued...   
  



End file.
